Wailing Wall
April 21 2026
I noticed the weeds
in the narrow cracks
poking through the the Wall.
Is there a plan
to leave its care to God?
Should I be picturing a bearded man
in black suit and hat
give a fatalistic shrug
then return to his davening?
Could it be politics;
that no one’s willing to touch it
as Arab and Jew
defend their rightful turf?
Or is it theological;
that to lay a hand on this wall
for anything other than offerings
of faith and prayer
and meek supplication
would desecrate its sanctity.
Personally, I welcome the weeds
garnishing its cracks.
Instead of neglect
they help convey the wall’s antiquity;
express the indifference
of an indestructible thing
to our fleeting presence in the world
and belief we’re in control.
So as the wall humbles us
the weeds do as well.
Because this patchwork of sandy blocks
is nothing like the sleek towers of modernity
glittering with mirrored glass
we so proudly admire,
its dusty weeds
so different from their windswept plazas
sanitized of life;
yet this eternal wall
will outlast our glossy skylines
by countless millennia.
I’m wary of religion.
I don’t believe in God
or gods.
And even though by birth
I’m nominally a Jew,
I’m resolutely unobservant.
But still, I can see the power of the wall.
Of the seditious beauty
of the opportunistic weeds
that are also part of creation
— whether by God or nature
whichever you believe.
That just as a Buddhist reveres life
no matter how rudimentary
we respect the inherent right
of unsightly weeds,
eking out a living
in the arid cracks
between the massive stones.
I agree, leave them alone.
After all, these are sidewalk weeds
strong enough to crack concrete,
yet it’s been more than 2000 years
and daunting as ever
the wall still stands.
While the prayers
stuffed into its cracks
are sometimes even answered.
The link will lead you to an Atlantic article that contends with the problematic term “Jewish State”. IE was quite struck by the picture of the Wailing Wall that accompanies it. Especially the weeds: instead of making a statement of neglect, there seemed something deeper and more symbolic in their continued existence here. After all, wouldn’t one expect this singular object of reverence — a sacred site as well as a touristy one — to be scrupulously maintained?
On seeing it, a poem immediately started coming to me. This is how it turned out.
The contrast I imply between ancient stone and modern concrete is intentional. The ethos of modernity is quick gratification and obsolescence, while our forbears built to last. There are the Roman roads and aqueducts; still here. But even Roman concrete was much better. It was made differently. It’s significantly more durable than the current stuff. After all, the Coliseum is still standing, while our roads and bridges are crumbling already.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_concrete
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